


Diary of a Shai

by Siffire



Category: Black Desert Online (Video Game)
Genre: Gen, canon treated as a suggestion, lore mostly respected
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-05
Updated: 2019-12-07
Packaged: 2021-02-24 16:47:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,445
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21681175
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Siffire/pseuds/Siffire
Summary: Follow the adventures of Moogickarp as she uncovers the secrets of her past, wrestles with The Black Spirit, and takes destiny into her own handsIf you want in on the fun we are in the guild Black Phoenix.
Kudos: 2





	1. Days 1 & 2

I’m not certain how to begin this, but I am certain it must be done. So perhaps it is best to get right into it.

Yesterday I awoke in the late afternoon, laying in the dirt with no idea where I was or recollection of my life at all. If that was not astounding enough, I was immediately greeted by a shadow with the most unsettling red eyes.

I know it sounds insane. I’m not at all certain of my sanity, but since I know nothing of my life before yesterday I need to write down every detail that may be important if my future self forgets again.

And it is very important to know that this thing- calling himself “The Black Spirit” is possessing me and speaks to me within my mind. No one else seems to be able to see or hear him, but given his temperament that may be for the best.

So, this Black Spirit addressed me as Moogickarp. It feels like the right name, although I can not remember with certainty if it is. He seems to know me better than I do and was clearly disappointed that I had forgotten him.

He directed me to a fellow named Edan. I was honest with him about not knowing where I was, but he seemed to think it was more of a case of “hit on the head” than full lifetime memory loss and I wasn’t sure I should correct him. I thanked him for ensuring nothing terrible happened to me while I was unconscious and asked if there was any way I could repay him. The Black Spirit didn’t like this, and snorted something about my needing to learn to take without giving.

Edan explained that they were excavating ancient artifacts in a stone chamber, and that the mission had historic, scientific, and military importance. He asked me to help with the work however I could and to take a look for myself at the findings in the stone chamber. I got the uneasy feeling that The Black Spirit was swaying this human somehow to trust me more than he should have. He also introduced me to Princess Jarette Domogatt, who I have the distinct impression does not like me.

Jarette said that there were some issues with grey foxes stealing supplies and tools. She looked me over and pointed to the Florang strapped to my back.

“That thing is almost bigger than you are. Are you able to use it?”

Honestly I was not sure, but The Black Spirit assured me I could kill much more than a few foxes so I responded that it was one of my specialties. She told me to make myself useful by thinning the fox populations a bit, but she clearly was even less confident in my abilities than I was.

I was also not comfortable with just killing the foxes and letting them go to waste. I began to ask around if any of the workers had a knife I could borrow for skinning. The humans were very dismissive of me, I’m not sure giants can even hear me from all the way up there, but the goblins were very kind. Most of them did not have a knife, but they didn’t mind being asked and the one who did was delighted when I suggested we might split the fox hides in exchange for borrowing it. The Black Spirit once again chided me about being “too nice.”

So I set out to exterminate a few thieving foxes and gather a few hides. It didn’t take long, and somewhere in my head-that-knows-nothing there was a background of information about the foxes. I don’t know where I learned it, but I knew which foxes would be best to pick off to maintain a healthy ecosystem, how many I could safely take out, and so much more. I also realized that I knew most everything about the plants and other animals, although I was still without the slightest clue where I was or who I was. By the time I returned the tanning knife and half the fox hides to the kind goblin worker the sun had set and the last light was leaving the sky.

The Black Spirit urged me to the stone chamber. Within my mind I could feel him nearly vibrate with excitement as we followed the path of excavation. The weight of him pushing me on was almost physical. Despite this, a mural on one of the walls stopped me in my tracks. It was set forward from the wall- perhaps once it had been used as a hearth, but the design on it rang through my mind like a headache. Two snakes, their tails intertwined, faced each other over a pedestal. Their mouths were open, gaping with an endless hunger for… something. The object at the focus of the image was familiar but strange at the same time, which honestly wouldn’t have been out of place with the rest of today except that I felt so strongly about it. After a moment of study, the complaints of The Black Spirit spurred me onwards. He wanted desperately to get to the ancient artifact at the center of the chamber.

When I got there it became clear why. The Black Spirit has some strong connection to this ancient artifact and when I approached it there was a dizzying moment when I could… This is going to sound crazy again. I could feel myself connected to other people- and a lot of them were dead. For just a moment I could see this place as it was in ancient times. I could see the whole world as it had been, and felt the lives of so many people. It was overwhelming. I lost consciousness again.

I awoke to Edan and a new person- an elven woman- standing over me with great concern. They tried to tell me something about The Black Spirit but he drowned out their voices with his own. He declared that we were more strongly connected now and that I didn’t need to worry myself with how poorly others had handled connection with black spirits because I was “special.”

Both the implication that he is not the only of his kind and that I was somehow more predisposed to connection with him concerned me.

I stumbled from the stone chamber in a haze. The mural stood out to me again, but this time I recognized the central object as a summoning stone. I fell to my knees in front of it. Several goblin workers were already bedded down for the night and looking at them I realized my exhaustion. I pulled the fox hides from my bag and arranged them into a bit of a nest before falling into a deep but fitful sleep.

This morning I awoke much less disoriented than I had the day before, although now full of dread from things I don’t fully understand. The chamber was already busy with researchers and workers, carefully chipping away at the statues and artifacts. I bundled my fox furs back into my bag and realized that I had not yet been greeted by The Black Spirit. He seemed to have left me and for a moment I was relieved. The elf from yesterday introduced herself as Orwen and showed me some of the artifacts. She was particularly excited to tell me about the ancient weapons and defense systems… to be honest most of that went over my head. She introduced me to a dwarf named Lafi who had much more interesting information- apparently the murals in the chamber foretold events accurately as much as several hundred years in advance. I wondered to myself about the way I had felt time through The Black Spirit and if the mural-makers who had seen the future experienced it like that.

“Some of them did.” The Black Spirit startled me terribly with his sudden return. “We should be getting out of here, though,” he continued without waiting for my response, “you have a long journey ahead of you.”

“How ominous,” I muttered under my breath. Within my mind I asked where he had been, but he just laughed terribly and said that I didn’t need to know. I am quickly growing to hate him.

On my way out of the excavation site I asked the guards at the entrance to direct me to the nearest town. They warned me that there was a dangerous imp uprising occurring and that I should stick with soldier groups traveling through the area. The Black Spirit assured me once more that I could handle myself in combat. After having seen how efficiently I could bludgeon foxes to death I no longer doubted him.

As I headed down the well-worn path I noted that it was almost midday. Although I was keeping an eye out for imps, I was not prepared when a shrub stood up and stared at me with dull glowing green eyes. For a moment all I could do was stare back.

“That’s just a tree spirit,” The Black Spirit said dismissively. “I think you should kill it, but you’re not as bloodthirsty as I had hoped.”

I tried to ignore him and reached out my hand to the living tree. It held a branch out to me and for a moment we stood facing each other, holding limbs. Then it turned and walked away- a clumsy shamble, but more movement than I would ever have expected from a tree. The peace of the moment was broken by an explosion of canon fire.

“That’s our cue.” The Black Spirit took control of my body more forcefully than he had been able to yesterday and we sprinted towards the battlefield.

When we broke out of the forest the scene before us was chaos. Human, dwarf, and giant soldiers were fighting hoards of imps. Although I can’t say for certain, I don’t think I had ever seen an imp before. The smallest were about my size, with the largest about twice as big, and they were outfitted mostly with leather, bone, and improvised equipment. Some of the larger ones, though, had proper armor, shields, and swords. It seemed critical to them that they erect alters and flag arrangements on the battle field, and they defended those areas more fiercely than open ground.

Without my permission, my body leapt into the fray. I threw the florang hard and it bounced between a few imps before returning to my hands. With a twirl I threw it again and it knocked over an alter, causing an immediate surge of imps with crude staffs. These imps seem to be some sort of priests and have very rudimentary control over fire magic. They tried to scorch me but I jumped, back flipped, and tossed my florang with ease, knocking over the entire group. Only a few got back up and I finished them off with another twirling throw.

I had no idea I could be so acrobatic. And, as much as I hate to admit to him being helpful, without The Black Spirit I probably couldn’t.

Off to my left a small group of soldiers was fighting around an overturned wagon. The horses were running loose through the battlefield and supplies were strewn across the ground. One of them was trying to wave me over.

“I have never seen a shai fight like that, what are you- some kind of mercenary?” Feinia, as I later learned she is named, was apparently impressed with my skills. She recruited me to help get the supplies and horses gathered back up, and to escort the solders with supplies to the Western Guard Camp.

It was an astoundingly easy series of tasks. Although the horses were panicked by the goblins, I sang a calming tune and they cooperated enough to be led to safety. I’m not sure the name of the song, but I feel safe when I sing it. Clearing a path through the imps was a breeze with The Black Spirit helping me fight. The soldiers were even more surprised than I was to be following me to the camp, but they showed their appreciation in force.

I was introduced to Captain Cliff as the “savior of the supply run.” At first he thought they were pulling a joke, and took it in excellent humor. Then when he realized their seriousness he kneeled down to get eye level with me and offered his callused hand in thanks.

The Black Spirit whispered to me that it was good to have powerful people in my debt and that I should establish my sway over him quickly. I tried to put him out of my head and smiled at the captain.

“I’m just happy to help.”

“Well, we need a lot of help,” he stood up and frowned. “We need to fight off these imps and maintain peace in this area. There’s a bit of an ogre situation over in the Forest of Seclusion. The farms between here and Velia aren’t as well secured as we would like and don’t even get me started on what the bandits are doing to trade…” He sighed, and again I got the feeling The Black Spirit was using some sort of influence to gain me additional trust. “If you can help us, we would be very grateful. What are your terms of payment?”

I did not expect this question. I started to splutter that I really didn’t need payment when The Black Spirit reminded me that I had no money, nowhere to sleep, no tools, and clothes that were almost as dirty from the battlefield as they were shoddily made.

So I asked for use of a tent for as long as I stayed to help, a set of tools, and a new set of more protective clothing. The Black Spirit demanded that I also ask for one million silver as wages to stay for a week of mercenary work but I successfully hushed him.

Captain Cliff was more than happy to accommodate my requests, and gave me 500 silver as additional thanks. After I was shown to my tent I sought out a merchant and my fox hides were exchanged for almost certainly more silver coin than they were worth, then I bought this diary along with a charcoal stick that has been magicked to write in it endlessly. By the time I returned to my tent, my new clothes and tools were waiting for me.

Now it is getting dark. Perhaps I should have asked for a lamp in my tent, but for tonight I have no more to write and much need for sleep.


	2. Day 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A busy day of meeting new people and learning new things

My first priority today was to meet as many of the folks in the Western Guard Camp as possible and to assess the situations Captain Cliff referred to.

My second was to learn more about the imps, tree spirits, along with any more surprises this area may hold.

I have been successful on both fronts. This morning I met:

  * Constant- An officer, he is one of the most kind and welcoming people here. He asked that if I head to Velia I head to Toscani farm and check on his parents.
  * Jamie- At first I was a bit concerned about Jamie. He guards the entrance to the camp, and did not want to let me leave freely without an escort who was “bigger and stronger.” He apparently is a bit of a mother hen about everyone’s safety, though, and when I reminded him how well I handled myself yesterday he urged me to be the one protecting others.
  * Armstrong- This man teaches combat skills to the soldiers, but was much more interested in learning gathering skills from me. I promised to take him out and teach him herb identification when there is less immediate danger.
  * Miguel Aries- Miguel is a blacksmith who needs to learn to put a shirt on.
  * Claus- He’s a bit cynical, but apparently he was involved in some rebellion in the past that went poorly. He runs the armory.
  * Hessenvale- A strong, admirable woman, Hessenvale is an amazing healer. She is very busy right now, as the imps have inflicted at least minor injuries on most everyone here.
  * Samuel- The perfect fit for a stablekeeper, Samuel knows everything there is to know about horses. He appreciates that I rescued the horses yesterday that he says he ordered a special gift for me.
  * Luke- Also frequenting the stables, Luke manages trade through the Western Guard Camp. His top priority is bandits, as they do more harm to the trade than the imps.
  * Duvane- A tricky old veteran, he isn’t someone I would want to be up against in battle.
  * Barossa- She manages boats and supplies arriving on the river. Unfortunately, boats can only come from upstream, not the ocean as there is apparently a waterfall where the Balenos river meets the sea.
  * Baggop- He’s an otter who fishes, and keeps the river clear and clean even when the battles spill over into it. His main complaint is that someone upstream keeps losing their laundry and he would like me to fish some of it out.
  * Several dwarf workers who were very busy and never shared their names, but asked me for some timber and to deliver wolf jerky to a lookout (who’s name I also did not catch.)



Hessenvale mentioned a wounded solider was fretting about a helmet stolen by tree spirits, and I thought that would be the perfect opportunity to study them more closely. The Black Spirit suggested that if I wanted to learn about them then I should kill as many of them as possible. I disagreed.

He was gone again for several hours today. I still can’t get out of him where he goes. It seems strange that an incorporeal spirit possessing me can go away at all, but I’m not sure there’s a standard for normal in this situation.

Anyway, I slaughtered another path through the imps to the forest. They seem endless, and although I learned much about them today I am still not sure where their vast populations are coming from. Before entering the forest properly I cut down a few trees to supply the camp with timber while there was a clear path. Once I was in the forest my full attention was on the tree spirits. They seem to start off their lives as quite small shrubs, and grow into giant living hills of timber. It was some of the smaller ones who seem to be thieving shiny objects, including the missing helmet.

I asked The Black Spirit if they were just plants that had been possessed by creatures like him and he made an offended sort of strangled sound.

“No,” he said, “they are a different kind of spirit.”

I could not get him to elaborate.

I took the helmet, but left the little spirits with most of their trinkets. I reasoned that if I took all of it they would be more likely to steal from the guard camp to get a new collection of shimmering loot.

Since the busy dwarf requested some wolf meat jerky, my next task in the forest was to find some wolves. It was not difficult. With the battlefield nearby wolves and foxes were fat and populous from the scavenging opportunities. I took down a few with my florang, butchered them with my new knife, and dried the meat in the afternoon sun.

As well as a knife for butchering and another for tanning, my toolkit included a woven drying mat, a lumbering axe, a pickaxe, a few beakers for simple alchemy, a grinding mortar and pestle, a hoe for gathering, a fluid collection syringe, a fishing pole, a matchlock, a filtering pan, a bottle for shaking and simple cooking, and a magic fire starter. Each one was carefully selected to be small enough for me, and I suspect they had to custom make a few of them yesterday. They all fit into my bag, though, which also seems to have a bit of magic, since I can’t imagine they should. Hmm. I should have stuffed the soldier’s helmet in there to test it out. Ah well, another time.

I watched the imps for a while from up in a tree before I returned to the camp. My observations yesterday about their flags and alters held up, and I went out of my way to destroy all of them I could on my way back through the battlefield. This pleased The Black Spirit, so I’m not sure it was the right thing to do.


End file.
